According to the science of the body is made up of centres of energy called chakras that are not visible to most of us. Though largely unseen, our Chakras interact with and influence our thoughts, moods, and health. Chakras are like the air we breathe, invisible yet vital to our lives. Each chakra is located at a major nerve flexus of the body and is intricately involved in keeping the body organs of that area in proper working order. Through the intake and assimilation of life energy, each chakra rejuvenates its corresponding body parts. If a chakra stops functioning properly, the intake of energy will be disturbed and eventually that part of body will show signs of disease. Energy flows through the entire body from the chakra, six of which are located in the body. The seventh chakra is located at the top of skill, and the eighth chakra is the aura that encases and interpenetrates the entire body. All the main chakra is connected by a channel of energy that travels up the centre of the spine and around the brain. The colours of the chakra follow the same order as the colours of the rainbow, starting with red for the first chakra and moving through the spectrum of colours as they move upwards towards the head.

1. The first chakra is located at the rectum and base of the spine at the conjunction of thousands of nerve ending. This is your root, your basic survival chakra. An imbalance in the first chakra may show up in the form of fear, perversion and insecurity. When this chakra is working well your feel grounded and confident.
2. The second chakra is located at the third and fourth vertebrae and just above the public bone. It governs sex and reproduction, emotions and creativity. Air imbalance in the second chakra brings obsession with sex or unhealthy indulgence of fantasy. A person whose second chakra is in balance is creative imaginative, adaptable and has a healthy sex life.
3. The third chakra is located at the solar plexus/navel area where the nerve ending meet. It deals with concerns of identity, domain and judgment. When in a state of imbalance, the third chakra can manifest itself as excessive greed, or an overwhelming driving for person power. Excessive emotions and susceptibility to illness characterize a weak third chakra conversely, a strong third chakra. Conversely, a strong third chakra can give good physical health. When in balance, it gives the initiative and courage to preservers and accomplishes great deeds.
4. Fourth chakra, known as the heart centre, is located in the centre of the chest, not at the physical heart. A person who has an imbalance in the heart centre may seem cold hearted, will have trouble expression love or will be selfish in matters of heart. When the heart chakra becomes active, true love can be experienced. It is the centre for kindness, compassion and selfless acts of giving. Through the heart centre, you connect cords to those with whom you say someone is tugging at your heartstrings, you are expressing this connection absolutely accurately.
5. The fifth chakra is located at the throat and is associated with the thyroid gland and wings. Words that are true, penetrating and compassionate come from a strong fifth chakra. In an imbalance blunt or opinionated communication can be the result or a person may be too fearful to express himself at all. The fifth chakra is associated with taking responsibility for personal needs.
6. The sixth chakra is located at the centre of the forehead, slightly above the eyebrows and 03cm in from the surface. This area is sometimes called the third eye. It is associated with the pituitary gland, and is considered to be the source of intuition. The sixth chakra relates to your capacity to visualize and understand mental concepts, inducing how you see the world and expect the world to respond to you. When working properly sixth chakra can help manifest union for the benefit of all. When imbalanced the persons basic concepts are not based in reality and their world may reflect this distortion.
7. The seventh chakra is located at the top of the skill and is associated with the pineal gland. It relates to the integration of personality with spirituality. If this centre is weak, a person may not have an experiential connection to her spirituality or an understanding. It is important to realize that when you practice yoga, you don’t need to know or believe anything at all about chakras. Just as eating wholesome foods will make you healthier ,whether you think about it or not, the life energy in our body will circulate more efficiently in the practice of yoga, mo matter how you view it.

YOGA FOR ALL

1) Every person with a sound body from any walk of life can start practicing yoga after eighteen years and can continue to do so throughout his life span.

2) It is never too late to start yoga exercises .However if the muscles are exercised regularly from youth,they continue to be supple and internal organs remain strong so that good health can be maintained till late in life and a multitude of ailments avoides.

3) It is always best to start young as such persons can master yoga easily. Those past the prime of itlife may practice yogic breathing and postures moderately according to the condition of their muscles, internal organs and general health.

4) The easy course of yoga may be learnt slowly but not practiced regularly from the age of twelve up to sixteen.The full course may be started after reaching the age of eighteen.

Difficult postures may be attempted by students at the age of twenty, and these exercises should be omitted in late middle age and beyond if any strainis felt during their practice .People who have crossed fifties should have a medical check up once a year and practice only such postures as are simple,non strenuous and which do not take much time.

5) Children under eight years should never attempt yoga asanas whether static or dynamic. As their spines are too weak and bones and muscles are still growing, forcing them to do asanas will cause deformity of the spine and other disorders. Also they may lack concentration and their attention may waver. Children between eight and twelve years of age need and like outdoor games which are more conducive to their growth than systematic yogic exercises. They may watch and practice a few simple yoga postures so that they may develop an aptitude for practising the more difficult ones later in life. They should however avoid such asanas which overtax their ability and affect their growing bones. Children of this age group may practice Surya Namaskar. Boys and girls while in their pre-puberty stage may learn a few simple yogic postures which promote their growth, including Surya Namaskar. They should not do such exercises which involve great strength, putting or exerting pressure as they are not physically mature and do not have the muscle control of adults. Besides their vital organs glands and nervous system are not sufficiently developed and the endocrine balance is not mature enough.They should avoid the upside down positions which may affect the thyroid should practice advanced postures ,synchronized with breathing, only after they attain full maturity.

6) Persons who are mere skin and bones and fat people with a protruding belly can practise asanas to the best of their ability provided they have no disease affecting their organs. They will look fit after after a few months of regular practice.

7) Person with any defect in their organs or functional disorders but are supple enough to do the asanas easily should take the advice of a doctor who knows yoga and who can recommend postures to each person individually. Those with physical deformities and those have suffered any serious dislocation of the limbs need not give up yoga practices but take the advice of a yoga therapist.

YOGA AND DIET FOR THE BEST SELF HELP

Yoga is the best self help treatment you can give yourself. A regular yoga practice revitalizes every single part of you, right down to the cellular level. Every philosophy, every religion and every therapy addresses the human need to feel whole. That is because when you feel whole, you feel happy with everything finding its place and it’s peace. This is where yoga comes in, harmonizing body and mind and spirit.

Yoga and meditation go together like hand and glove .The bottom line in meditation is that it’s about becoming aware and sensitive to your inner environment, and is a highly individualised process. According to Yoga sutras meditation is the process of stilling the thought waves of the mind. When you first meditate you will drown into the mind’s drama. With practise your mind will eventually settle down and behave itself.

Some paint the picture that yoga and meditation will make life stress free, that you will live happily ever after, and never be visited by conflict again. This vision while attractive, is erroneous. Challenges will not go away, but yoga and meditation will give you the tools to cope with the crisis of life.

Many people practise yoga for reason of physical health and vitality, therapy, body toning and stress management .All of these are wonderful benefits of yoga, but to get the ultimate source of power within, the key is the development of a meditative mind. When your body and mind work together to strengthen your spirit, the result is a meditative mind.

As you build health and well being through yoga, you will want to simplify and improve your eating habits. A yogic diet is made up of satvic food, which nourish the body. These are pure wholesome, naturally delicious food such as fresh and dried fruits, raw or lightly cooked vegetables, salads, grain, pulses, nuts, seeds, whole grain, honey ,fresh herb and diary products. A satvic diet is easily digested and supplies maximum energy. Together a satvic diet Yoga and meditation form a strong partnership that promotes health and well being.